Stemilt partners with Seattle chef on farm-to-table initiative

Leading Northwest fruit grower-shipper Stemilt Growers is partnering with a celebrity Seattle chef to strengthen its farm-to-table commitment.

Ethan Stowell, who has 15 restaurants in the Emerald City, is now the official “spokeschef” for Wenatchee, Washington-based Stemilt.

“We’re thrilled to start this partnership with Ethan,” says Brianna Shales, Stemilt’s communications manager. “Our companies share common goals around delighting people through wholesome and delicious food, as well as giving back to our communities. Joining forces will allow us to tell our story to more people and make for a more meaningful connection for our fans, and Ethan’s many restaurant patrons, around the farm-to-table experience.”

To kick off the partnership, Stemilt has shared its signature apple variety, Piñata, with Stowell’s Cortina restaurant for future seasonal inclusion. It’s not the only signature Stemilt fruit that Stowell will get to work with, but Piñata is already a favorite because of its unique tropical flavors and ability to span different culinary applications, from shaved on salads to more traditional apple desserts.

“Most people see an apple as an apple, but there’s quite a bit of contrast between the different varieties,” says Stowell. “What I love most about Piñata is its balance between sugars and acids. It has enough of both to stand on its own, which fits well with my desire to keep food simple and fresh.”

Stemilt will host Stowell in the coming months in Wenatchee so that he can experience the sights and sounds involved in harvesting and packing fruit. The company will also share Stowell’s culinary talents with its team members and visitors through live demonstrations, as well as directly with consumers via its social and digital channels.